Electrically-controlled elevator



(No Medel.)4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

CLE; ONGLBY. BLEGTRIGALLY GONTROLLED ELEVATGR.,

No. 410,180. Patented Sept. 3. 1889.

lll MHH. 'Mlm (No Model.) s shet-sheet 2.

l E.- ONGLEY.

ELBGTRIGALLY GONTROLLBD ELBVATOR. No. 410,180. Patented Sept. s. 18894l am A gw mw (No Model.) 3 Sheets-fsheet 3.

e. E. ONGLE'Y. ELEGTRIGALLY GONTROLLED ELEVATOR.Y No. 410,180. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

v l C 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.V fi

@HARLES E. ONGLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRlCALlsY-.CONTROLLED ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,180, dated September 3, 1889. Application lil-ed November 22, 18.87. Serial No. 255,857. (No model.)

To aZZ whom i6 may conczcrlt.-`

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ONGLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of NewYork, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, fully described and represented in the Afollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same. io This invention relates to an organized apparatus for operating electrically the mainvalve or other lnechanism which controls the movements of an elevator.

The invention consists, broadly, in an organized system of electrical connections by which the elevator, having been stopped at any point, will be prevented from starting in the opposite direction; of an organization which combines with electrical appliances zo for actuating the controlling mechanism of the elevator a means by which said mechanism can be operated mechanically from the car incase of an emergency, and of a novel form of auxiliary-valve apparatus combind with electrical connections for actuating the main-valve or other controlling mechanism of the elevator. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows in sectional View a portion of a build- 3o ing containing an elevator equipped according to my invention, showing the relation of the several parts. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the severalV electric circuits and the means by which the movements of the eleva- 3 5 tor are controlled throughsaid circuits either from the car or any portion of the building. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the auxiliary-valve apparatus and its electromotor by which the main-valve or other controlling .to mechanism of the elevator is moved in one direction. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the same.

Referring to said drawings, A denotes an elevator-shaft, B the car, C a hydraulic cylinder or other motor by which the car B is raised, and D the hoisting-cable, all of which parts are organized in the usual. and wellknown manner.

E represents the mechanism for controlling 5o the movements of the elevator, which in the casey shown is the main or induction and eX- haust valve of the cylinder C, and is of any suitable construction to allow the water tobe admitted to the cylinder O to cause the car to ascend when the valve is in one position, to allow the water to escape from the cylinder to`pern1it the car to descend when the valve is reversed, and to close both the induction and exhaust to stop the car when the valve is in an intermediate or mid posi- 6o tion. Such cylinders and Valves are in common use, and their construction is well known. I have not, therefore, deemed it necessary to illustrate or describe the same in detail. VIt is to be understood, however, that the cylin- :der O may, if preferred, be arranged vertically instead of horizontally and may be provided with the well-known circulating-pipe, or may be a motor of any of the forms common in elevators. The mechanism for con- 73 i trolling the movements-of the elevator-car is therefore the main valve or other mechanism which controls the movements of the elevator-motor, and this mechanism is determined by the character of the motor employed. 7 5

F is a piston, which works in a cylinder F2, and is connected by a rod F to the main-valve or other controlling mechanism. The cylinder F2 is provided withinduction and eX- haust pipes G G, forming ports through which 8o the Water is allowed to flow into and out of the cylinder upon the opposite sides of the piston F, moving it and the connected main valve upward or downward, as it is desired to cause the car to descend or ascend. l S5 The pipes G G are controlled by means of what I terni auxiliary-valve, mechanisms II O, which are operated by electromotors under the control of the conductor or of a person at any landing. The electromotors 9o are herein shown as ordinary electro-magnets and will be hereinafter termed magnetsg but the term is to be understood as ineluding any form of electromot'or which can be energized by an electric current.

As the auxiliary-valve mechanisms II O are connected by the pipes G G with the valveoperating cylinder F2, these mechanisms may be placed in any convenient position in any portion of the building, either near to or re- Ico u mote from the main valve of the elevator. In the drawings they are shown as inclosed in a case attached to the wall upon the first story of the building, while the elevator-operating mechanism with its main valve are located in the basement.

The valve mechanisms H O are alike in construction and operation and have, for convenience, a common water-supply, one valve controlling the pipe G and the other the pipe G. These valves are controlled by electromagnets l J, which are energized through electric circuits, which include batteries K and appropriate circuit-closers L M, located at the different landings and on the car.

The construction and operation of the auxiary-valve mechanisms H O will now be described. As these two mechanisms'are exact duplicates, a description of one will apply to both.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it is to be understood that@ is a valve-cylinder containing two valve-seats c2, formed upon the ends of a bushing b, having perforationsc and two heads h b2, which are securely fastened in the cylinder. The auxiliary induction and exhaust valves CZ e are connected by a valverod f, to which a spiral spring f is applied to hold the valve d against its seat and the valve e away from its seat. The valve-cylinder is enlarged at one end to form a cylinder a, in which is tted a piston g, which is attached to the valve-rod f.

Communicating with the cylinder a is a pipe h, which is controlled by a valve h3, termed, for convenience, a primary valve, the rod h4 of Whichis adjustably connected by thepnuts j* to alever j, carrying at its free end an armature j', held within t-he magnetic field of the electro-magnet J by means of the suspension-rod j2, having a nutjg, by which the position of the lever j is adjusted. The water-supply pipe k communicates with the valve-cylinder a, and also with the pipe h, as shown, and the induction and exhaust pipes G G communicate with the cylinders a of the respective valve mechanisms between the heads 1) b2 of the bushing b. Each of the cylinders ct is provided with waste-pipe Z, which communicates with the space between the valve e and piston g, and each of the pipes h is provided with a small open wastepipe m,which communicates with the pipe between the piston g and valve h3.

The operation is as follows: The valves d are normally held against their seats c2, and the valves e away from the seats by the springs f and also by the pressure of the water in the supply-pipe k, thereby preventing any water from entering the pipes G or G to act upon the piston F and operate the main valve, and at the same time allowing the water to flow out of the cylinder upon both sides of the piston to permit the piston to be moved in either direction. As soon, however, as either one of the magnets I or Jis energized by the closing of the electric circuit through said magnet, its armature will be attracted, thus raising the level-j aud primary valve h3, and allowing water from the pipe h to enter the cylinder a andact upon t-he piston g, and as the area of the piston g exceeds that of the auxiliary induction-valve d, the valve e will be moved to its seat and the valve d away from its seat, and allow the water to enter by the valve d and pass through the openings c' to thepipe G or G,as the case may be, and to the cylinder F2, causing the piston F to be moved and operate the main valve to cause the car to ascend or descend. As soon as the circuit through the magnet is broken, the magnet will be de-energized and its armature released. The weight of the lever j, aided by the pressure ot' the water in the pipe h, will at once close the primary valve h3, thereby removing the pressure from the piston g. The water between the valve h3 and the piston g will then gradually escape through the pipe m, thereby allowing the spring f to close the auxiliary induction-valve d, so as to shut oit the further flow ot water vto the cylinder F2, and at the same time the auxiliary exhaustvalve e will be opened to allow the water contained in the pipe Gor G, as the case may be, and inthe end of the cylinder F2, with which that pipe communicates, to pass freely into the waste-pipe Z. By closing the circuit through the other magnet the same operation will take place in the other auxiliaryvalve apparatus, thereby admitting water to the other end of the cylinder Fl2 to act upon the opposite side of the piston F and move the main valve in the opposite direction, and this being continued the main valve will be reversed and the car caused to move in the opposite direction; or, if it is desired to simply stop the car, the circuit will be broken soon as the main valve arrives in its mid ppsition, and the car will then remain at rest. As the piston F is moved in either direction, by the admission of water to one end of the cylinder F2 the water in the other end of the cylinder will find an unobstructed escape through the pipe G or G as the case may be, and past the auxiliary exhaust-valve e to the waste-pipe l. The waste-pipes m are, as will be observed, always open for the escape of water from the cylinder a; but these pipes being of small size as compared with the pipes h, the water will not escape with sufcient rapidity to prevent the pistons g from operating properly. The rods h4 of the primary valves h3 are preferably rprovided with sli din g joints, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to permit those valves to accommodate themselves more readily to their seats.

The system of electrical connections by which the magnets I J are energized to'operate the primary valves h3 to control the movements of the elevator-car, as just described, will now be explained. In this explanation it will be assumed that the auxiliary-valve apparati-s H, which is operated by the magnet I, controls the ascent ot the car, and that the auxiliary-valve apparatus O, which is operated by the magnet J, controls the descent IOO TIO

ofthe car. In the organization herein shown the two magnets are energized by separate batteries K. This is preferable, but is not in Vall cases necessary, as in some cases a single battery may be employed for both magnets. The magnet I is located in an electric circuit formed of wires or electrical conductors 2, which circuit includes one of the two batteries K and a push-button or other circuitcloser l0, located upon the car B. The course of this circuit, and also of the `other circuits to be referred to, can readily be traced by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings. The

term push-button is herein used for con` and energizing the magnet I the car will be caused to ascend, and that by releasing said button l0, so as to break the circuit 2 and deenergize the magnet I and then operating the button ll to close the circuit 3 and energize the magnet J, the car will be stopped or caused to descend, according to the length of time the circuit 3 is kept closed, and vice versa.

There are many cases where it is desirable, in addition to the means for' controling the movements of the elevator from within the car, that there should also be provided means by which a person at any landing can cause the car to ascend or descend to that landing.

To enable this to be accomplished, the cir-.

cuits 2 3 are respectively provided with branch circuits or loops l 5, which include push-buttons or other circuit-closers l2 13, located at each landing, as also indicated in Fig. 2. By this means a person at any landing can, by operating the button l2 or 13, cause the car to ascend or descend, as the case may be, to that landing, and can then arrest the car by operating the other button in the same manner as already described inconnection with the buttons upon the car.

The push-buttons of only one landing are indicated in the drawings; but it will readily be understood that the buttons at any number of landings can be arranged and connected to the circuits 2 3 in the same manner.

From what has been said it will be seen that the two circuits 2 3, with their respective branches Il 5, are suficient to enable a person either in the car or at any landing to cause the car to ascend and descend and come to rest at any desired point. In order, however,

to bring the car to rest and retain it at any point, it is necessary, as has been explained, to 'break the circuit as soon as the car stops, as if the circuit continues closed after the car'has stopped the main valve will move lar to the brushes 16.

onward pastts mid-position, and thus cause the car to start in the opposite direction from that in'which it was moving before it stopped. If the person operating the elevator is skillful and attentive, this will occasion no special diiculty, because such a person will be able to break the circuit at the proper time toretain the car in whatever position it is stopped. .Vith an unskillful or inattentive operator this, however, might occasion some trouble and annoyance, and it is therefore `desirable to provide means .by which, when it is desired to stop and ,retain the car in any position without reversing its movement, the circuitwill be auto` matically broken at the proper time to eiect this result. For this purpose the circuit 2, which includes the magnet I and one of the batteries K, is provided with a branch circuit 6, which includes a pushfbutton or circuit-closer 14, located upon the car, and also a pair of spring-contact plates or brushes 1G. This branch 6 is in turn provided with a branch 7, which leaves the branch G` between the button 14 and the brushes 16, and unites with the circuit 3 at a point between the battery K and the button ll. This branch 7 is also provided with a pair of brushes 17, simi- The circuits 2 3 are also connected by a branch 8, which connects the two circuits at a point near the buttons l1 14:. The brushes 1G 17 are located adjacent to a rod 18, which is connected to the rod F of the piston F', and reciprocates through guides secured to the sides of t-he cylinder F2; or this rod may be similarly reciprocated by some other moving part of the mechanism. This rod is provided with oppositely-inclined shoulders 19, forming a circuitcloser, which is so arranged that when the main valve is in its mid-position, so as to stop the car, the circuits through the branches 6 7 will both be broken. Vhen, however, the valve is movedupward from its mid-position,

IIO

soas to cause the car to descend, the brushes 16 will be acted upon by the circuit-closer 19, so as to be brought together, thereby closing the circuit through the branch 6, which circuit will then remain closed until the valve is moved back to its mid-position- As the valve is moved downward from its mid-position, so as to cause the car to ascend, the brushes 17 will be operated in the same manner to close the circuit through the branch 7,

which circuit will remain closed until the valve is again moved back to its mid-position. It will readily be seen, however, that as soon as the valve, moving in either direction, arrives at its mid-position the circuits through both of the branches 6 7 will be automatically broken. i

Assuming now that the main valve has been moved downward from its mid-position, so as to cause the car to ascend, and at the same time close the circuit through the branch 7, it is only necessary in order to stop and retain the 'car at any point to press the button 14. The circuit Will then be completed from n Will be automatically broken, thereby de-energizing the magnet and preventing the main valve from being moved upward past its midposition, so as to reverse the monement of the car, and this Will be the case whether the attendant breaks the circuit by releasing. the button 14C or not. It' the main valve has been moved upward from its Vmid-position, so as to cause the car to descend, the operation of stopping and retaining the car will be the same, except that in this case the circuit will be closed through the branch 6, so that upon pressing the button 14 the circuit will be completed from the button,through the Wires G 2, to the other battery K, and from the battery, through the wire 2, to the magnet I, and from the magnet, through the Wires 2 (3, to the button, thereby energizing the magnet I and causing the main valve to move downward until it arrives at its mid-position. To enable the same operation to be performed from any landing, it is only necessary to provide the branches 4c with branches 9, which connect with thebranch G, and in which are located push-buttons 15 at each landing, and to connect the branches 4 5, as indicated at 1.

In addition to the electrical appliances which have been described for actuating the controlling mechanism in the ordinary Working movements of the elevator, it is desirable that means should be provided by which, in case of an accident, or in case the electrical appliances should, for any reason, become ineffective, the conductor can have control of the main valve or other controlling` mechanism by means of mechanical connections. For this purpose the rod F is provided with the usual rack, which is engaged by a pinion upon a shaft 2l, having a pulley 20, around which passes a hand-rope 22, which extends around pulleys located at the top and bottom of the shaft, and passes through the car in the usual manner.

It has been already stated that the auxiliary induction and exhaust valves d c are normally maintained in such position as to afford an unobstructed escape for the water from both sides of the piston F. From this it results that in case the electrical connections or the auxiliary-valve mechanisms fail to act, the main valve Will not be locked by the Water in the cylinder F2, but will be free to be operated by the hand-rope 22, or other mechanical connection. This hand-rope Will not be used in the ordinary Working of the elevator by the electrical appliances; but in case of any emergency, as before stated, the conductor can by means of this hand-rope operate the m ain valve and thus have mechanical control of the movements of the elevator, as in the old Way. The hand-rope 22 maybe provided with the usual buttons 23, (see Fig. 1,) located near the top and bottom of the shaft, and Which will engage with the car and operate the main valve to stop the car before it reaches the limit of its movement in either direction. The ordinary hand-rope is herein illustrated as the simplest and, all things considered, the most desirable mechanical appliance for operating the main valve in connection with the electrical appliances herein described; but it is to be understood that any of the oth er forms of mechanical connections by Which the conductor in the car is enabled to control the main valve may be applied and used in place of the simple han l1'ope shown, and are to be regarded in this connection as the equivalent of. said rope.

The form of motor C for operating'the elevator which is herein shown, has been selected merely for the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention. Any other suitable form of motor may of course be employed.

That I claim is- 1. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its movements, of an electro-magnet for actuating said controlling mechanism, a circuit-closer 14 or 15, in circuit with said magnet, and a circuitcloser 19, operated by a moving part of the elevator' mechanism to close the circuit through said magnet when the car is in motion and to break the circuit through said magnet when the car is at rest, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its 1novements, of electro-magnets I J, for actuating said controlling mechanism to cause the car to move in opposite directions, a circuit-closer 14 on the car, which is in circuit with both of said magnets, and a circuitcloser 19, operated by a moving part of the elevator mechanism to close the circuit through one of said magnets when the car is in motion and to break the circuits through bot-h of said magnets when the car is at rest, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its Inovements, of electro-magnets I J, for actuating said controlling mechanism to cause the car to move in opposite directions, circuit-closers 15, located at the landings and in circuit with both of said magnets, a circuit-closer 19, operated by a moving part of the elevator mechanism to close the circuit through one of said magnets when the car is in motion and to break the circuits through both of said magnets when the car is at rest, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with an elevator-car and mechanism for controllingits movements, of electro-magnets IJ', for actuating said controlling mechanism to cause the car to move IOO IIO

in opposite directions, circuit-closers lO l1 upon the car, one of which is in circuit with each magnet, a third circuit-closer 14, which is in circuit with both of said magnets, and a circuit-closer 19, operated by a moving part of the elevator mechanism to close the eircuit through one of said magnets when the car is in motion and to break the circuits through both of said magnets when the car is at rest, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the mechanism for controlling the movements of an elevator, of the cylinder F2, and piston F for actuating said mechanism, an auxiliary-valve apparatus controlling said piston and normally maintained in an open position to allow the water to flow out of the cylinder from either side of .the piston, an electro-magnet for act uating said auxiliaryvalve apparatus, an electric` circuit including said magnet, and a circuit-closer upon the car, and a rope or its equivalent connected to operate said controlling mechanism from the elevator-car, substantially as described.

(i. The combination, with the mechanism for controlling the movements of an elevatorcar, of a cylinder and piston for actuating said mechanism, an auxiliary-valve apparatus controlling said piston 'and normally maintained in an open positionto allow the water to iiow out of the cylinder from either side of the piston, two electro-magnets for actuating said auxiliarywalve apparatus to cause the car to move in opposite directions, two electric circuits including .said magnets and circuit-closers upon the car, and a rope or its equivalent connected to operate said controlling mechanism from the elevator-car, substantially as described.

f7. The combination, with the mechanism for controlling the movements of an elevatorcar, of a cylinder and piston for actuating said mechanism, an auxiliary-valve apparatus controlling said piston and normally` maintained in an open position to allow the water to flow out ofthe cylinder from either side of the piston, two electro-magnets for actuating said auxiliary-valve apparatus to cause the car to move in `opposite directions, two electric circuits including said magnets and circuit-@losers upon the car, a rope connected to operate said controlling mechanism from the elevator car, and. stops 23 upon said rope arranged to be engaged by a moving part of the elevator before thecar reaches the limitvoib its movement in either direction, substantially as described.

S. The combination, with the mechanism for controlling the movements of an elevator, of the cylinder F2, and piston F', for actuating said mechanism, an auxiliary-valve appa-` ratus .controlling said piston and normally maintained in an open position to allow the water to iiowout of said cylinder from both sides of said piston, an electro-magnet for actuating'said auxiliary-valve apparatus, and an electric circuit including said'inagnet and a circuit-closer upon the car, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the mechanism for controlling the movements of an elevator, of the cylinder F2, and piston F', for actuating said mechanism, an auxiliary-mlm appa` ratus for controlling said piston and normally maintained in an open position to allow the water to flow out of said cylinder from both sides of said piston, two electro-magnets for actuating said auxiliary-valve apparatusto` cause the car to move in opposite directions, and two electric circuits including said magnets and circuit-closers upon the car, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto setmy hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. ONGLEY.

Witnesses: Y 4

J. J. KENNEDY, GEORGE I-I. Bor'rs. 

